Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CAIRO2001
2008-09-14 06:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
EDITOR OF UNLICENSED PAPER RECEIVES ONE YEAR
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHEG #2001 2580603 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 140603Z SEP 08 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0447
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002001
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ELA AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2028
TAGS: PHUM KDEM KPAO EG
SUBJECT: EDITOR OF UNLICENSED PAPER RECEIVES ONE YEAR
SENTENCE; HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER ACCEPTS RULING
Classified By: ECPO Mincouns William R. Stewart per 1.4 (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002001
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ELA AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2028
TAGS: PHUM KDEM KPAO EG
SUBJECT: EDITOR OF UNLICENSED PAPER RECEIVES ONE YEAR
SENTENCE; HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER ACCEPTS RULING
Classified By: ECPO Mincouns William R. Stewart per 1.4 (d).
1. (C) On September 10, a court sentenced Ahmed Bakr Selim,
editor of the largely unknown newspaper "Al Qahira Al Yoym"
("Cairo Today") to one year in prison for publishing and
distributing the paper without a license. According to
Egyptian state media, the court granted Selim bail on $1,850
pending appeal. Human rights lawyer Gamal Eid from the
reputable Egyptian NGO "Arab Network for Human Rights
Information," who specializes in press freedom cases, told us
September 11 that during the trial Selim admitted publishing
the paper without a license in contravention of Egyptian law.
Eid said he found nothing objectionable about the court
verdict. (Note: Eid is known to us as a responsible human
rights lawyer and observer of press freedom issues. End
note.)
2. (C) Eid described the case as growing out of a libel suit
that Selim brought against Yasser Barakat, editor of the also
largely unknown, but legally licensed paper "Al Mogez." In
the midst of the libel trial, the court discovered that "Al
Qahira Al Yoym" was unlicensed. Eid added that MP Mustafa
Bakry, editor of the colorful and controversial weekly "Al
Osboa," funded Selim's paper "Al Qahira Al Yoym" largely with
the intent to defame "Al Mogez" editor Barakat.
SCOBEY
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ELA AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2028
TAGS: PHUM KDEM KPAO EG
SUBJECT: EDITOR OF UNLICENSED PAPER RECEIVES ONE YEAR
SENTENCE; HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER ACCEPTS RULING
Classified By: ECPO Mincouns William R. Stewart per 1.4 (d).
1. (C) On September 10, a court sentenced Ahmed Bakr Selim,
editor of the largely unknown newspaper "Al Qahira Al Yoym"
("Cairo Today") to one year in prison for publishing and
distributing the paper without a license. According to
Egyptian state media, the court granted Selim bail on $1,850
pending appeal. Human rights lawyer Gamal Eid from the
reputable Egyptian NGO "Arab Network for Human Rights
Information," who specializes in press freedom cases, told us
September 11 that during the trial Selim admitted publishing
the paper without a license in contravention of Egyptian law.
Eid said he found nothing objectionable about the court
verdict. (Note: Eid is known to us as a responsible human
rights lawyer and observer of press freedom issues. End
note.)
2. (C) Eid described the case as growing out of a libel suit
that Selim brought against Yasser Barakat, editor of the also
largely unknown, but legally licensed paper "Al Mogez." In
the midst of the libel trial, the court discovered that "Al
Qahira Al Yoym" was unlicensed. Eid added that MP Mustafa
Bakry, editor of the colorful and controversial weekly "Al
Osboa," funded Selim's paper "Al Qahira Al Yoym" largely with
the intent to defame "Al Mogez" editor Barakat.
SCOBEY